It's not as if strange and sensational things haven't happened already to the 2018 Emerging Maroons squad member and 2017 Junior Kangaroo.

Test coach Mal Meninga plucked the 90kg fullback straight out of reserve grade and into his Prime Minister's XIII last October, making him the first to make that team with no NRL experience.

"I'm still startled by it. I'm still a bit speechless about it because I don't really know how I ended up there," Allan said.

"But I'm proud of myself for being noticed. I had a good game and being able to play alongside that quality of player and under Mal was an amazing experience."

And now another milestone. He is due to make his NRL debut on Friday at the SCG after Bennett named him on the bench for the Telstra Premiership season-opener against the Roosters.

The NRL.com interview came three weeks earlier, after Allan had been sweating it out on the training paddock trying to pick up extra tips on No.1 from Alex Johnston and Greg Inglis. And all the while Bennett carefully oversees his development along with the rest of his squad.

"Those three alone, most people would dream about having them be your coach, your teammate, or your mentor," Allan said.

"So I'm lucky enough to have them. Greg and Wayne are helping me a lot already, especially Greg out on the field, as well as AJ – he's been great with me too.

"I want to try and impress them so I'm listening to all they tell me."

The Logan Brothers junior played mainly in the halves before the call came in the Under-16s one weekend.

"I don't know why I like fullback so much," he said.

"I used to be a half and then one day my coach [Lincoln McLeod] says to me 'I'm going to throw you out the back'. I was thinking to myself 'I've never played there; I don't want to catch those high balls'. But as soon as I did it I loved it.